The busted bottles of Bailey's Irish Cream left a puddle on the floor and a sweet smell lingering in the humid morning air. They were a tell-tale sign as we left our cruise ship that morning and slipped out of the port terminal in Miami.
Somebody's vacation did not end on a high note.
The last thing you want to do is ruin a great cruise with a frustrating and stressful morning disembarking the ship.
If you've cruised before, you've been there: Thousands of people all jammed together, suddenly on the same schedule as they race off the ship and into cars, cabs, buses and shuttles to get to the airport in time for their flights. There is luggage to gather in the terminal. (You know, the bags you so trustingly left out in the hallway the night before, hopefully, to be reunited).
Then, you have to haul this luggage and new souvenirs and purchases (like those bottles of Bailey's that sometimes don't survive the battle) through security and customs.
I have done this, and it's no fun. The most disappointing part of this chaos is that it can immediately replace the wonderful memories you have accumulated from your vacation.
Well, you can do something about it.
On our nine-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, we certainly tried to end on a high note. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you master cruise disembarkation day in Miami, the busiest cruise port in the world.
